Board of education looks to settle with fired administrator

Published: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 11:52 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 11:52 a.m.

The New Hanover County Board of Education wants to settle its case with an assistant principal who was fired from the district in June.

The move by the board comes nearly a year after Tiffany Tobe-Williams, a former Ogden Elementary assistant principal, filed a petition against the board when it voted not to renew her contract after the 2011-12 school year. Tobe-Williams alleged that the board's decision to fire her was motivated by personal and political reasons, but the board filed a response saying that Tobe-Williams' problems stemmed from her inability to cooperate with school officials.

A local superior court judge sided with Tobe-Williams in January, saying she should have her contract as assistant principal renewed and that she should be awarded back pay, according to court documents.

The school board appealed that decision to the N.C. Court of Appeals later in January and asked that the county superior court temporarily stop the case while the appeal was going on. The superior court denied that request in March. On Monday, the school board filed a request for a settlement, according to court documents.

Tobe-Williams was first named an assistant principal in the district in the 2008-09 school year, with a contract set to expire in June 2012. According to a school board resolution, the board unanimously voted not to renew Tobe-Williams' contract in a closed-session meeting before the July board meeting.

According to state law, a school board can choose not to renew a contract for "any cause that is not arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, personal or political."

The school board based its decision not to renew Tobe-Williams' contract on events that occurred when Tobe-Williams was an assistant principal at Myrtle Grove Middle School in 2008-09 and at Wrightsville Beach Elementary School in 2010-11. Information on those incidents was presented in court documents filed by both Tobe-Williams and the district.

At Myrtle Grove Middle, Tobe-Williams found that the school's bookkeeper was incorrectly preparing employees' time sheets. The school district acknowledged that these problems were valid. Tobe-Williams said her concerns were initially ignored by the principal, while the school board said she didn't work constructively with the principal.

At Wrightsville Beach Elementary, Tobe-Williams found mold problems at the school, which she felt could make her sick, and was temporarily transferred to Alderman Elementary. Tobe-Williams said she was asked to perform job duties while on medical leave, while the school board said that Tobe-Williams didn't have medical records to show she was unable to work.

Calls to the school board's attorney and to Tobe-Williams' attorneys were not immediately returned.

<p>The New Hanover County Board of Education wants to settle its case with an assistant principal who was fired from the district in June. </p><p>The move by the board comes nearly a year after Tiffany Tobe-Williams, a former Ogden Elementary assistant principal, filed a petition against the board when it voted not to renew her contract after the 2011-12 school year. Tobe-Williams alleged that the board's decision to fire her was motivated by personal and political reasons, but the board filed a response saying that Tobe-Williams' problems stemmed from her inability to cooperate with school officials. </p><p>A local superior court judge sided with Tobe-Williams in January, saying she should have her contract as assistant principal renewed and that she should be awarded back pay, according to court documents. </p><p>The school board appealed that decision to the N.C. Court of Appeals later in January and asked that the county superior court temporarily stop the case while the appeal was going on. The superior court denied that request in March. On Monday, the school board filed a request for a settlement, according to court documents. </p><p>Tobe-Williams was first named an assistant principal in the district in the 2008-09 school year, with a contract set to expire in June 2012. According to a school board resolution, the board unanimously voted not to renew Tobe-Williams' contract in a closed-session meeting before the July board meeting.</p><p>According to state law, a school board can choose not to renew a contract for "any cause that is not arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, personal or political."</p><p>The school board based its decision not to renew Tobe-Williams' contract on events that occurred when Tobe-Williams was an assistant principal at Myrtle Grove Middle School in 2008-09 and at Wrightsville Beach Elementary School in 2010-11. Information on those incidents was presented in court documents filed by both Tobe-Williams and the district. </p><p>At Myrtle Grove Middle, Tobe-Williams found that the school's bookkeeper was incorrectly preparing employees' time sheets. The school district acknowledged that these problems were valid. Tobe-Williams said her concerns were initially ignored by the principal, while the school board said she didn't work constructively with the principal. </p><p>At Wrightsville Beach Elementary, Tobe-Williams found mold problems at the school, which she felt could make her sick, and was temporarily transferred to Alderman Elementary. Tobe-Williams said she was asked to perform job duties while on medical leave, while the school board said that Tobe-Williams didn't have medical records to show she was unable to work.</p><p>Calls to the school board's attorney and to Tobe-Williams' attorneys were not immediately returned. </p><p>Pressley Baird: 343-2328</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @PressleyBaird</p>